A Choice for Love
by Dark Maiden95
Summary: Takes place right after Majora's Mask. During Ganondorf's attack on Hyrule Castle, Link is held hostage to get Zelda to give up the Ocarina of Time. What will she choose? The safety of Hyrule or the boy she loves? R&R please. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

I wrote this for two reasons:

I wrote this for two reasons:

I bought the 1st volume of the Ocarina of Time manga (yay me!) XD

I was bored

**Note: I do not own the Zelda franchise! I also do not mean to copy any other story on here! Any similarities are just a coincidence and not in any way intentional!**

Review please! I always want to hear what people think of my stories!

One more request: Enjoy the story! 

A Choice for Love

Link, the ten-year-old Hero of Time was riding to Lon Lon Ranch on a young foal named Epona. He had just saved the land of Termina from being destroyed by a cursed moon. Link was on his way to return Epona to his friend Malon.

...

"Link!" Malon was overjoyed to see her friend's safe return.

"Hi Malon," Link smiled and climbed down from Epona's back. "I'm here to return Epona."

Epona happily galloped to Malon and nuzzled her face.

"Won't you stay for a while, Link?" Malon asked. "We've got plenty of milk so maybe we could share some and talk about your trip."

Link smiled at the invitation. "Thanks Malon, but I have to go see Princess Zelda. I want to let her know that I've returned safely."

Malon smiled understandingly. "That's OK. Maybe next time."

"Maybe," Link replied. "Good-bye!"

...

"N-no! It can't be!"

When Link approached the middle of Hyrule Field, he saw that the castle was burning in the distance!

"Zelda!" he shouted as he ran towards the castle.

...

On one of the castle balconies, three people stood facing each other.

"Ganondorf, what have you done?!" Impa, Princess Zelda's nursemaid pointed a dagger at the Gerudo King, ready to protect Zelda if needed.

The Gerudo King only chuckled. "I have put the king to rest...for good!"

"Well the Hero of Time will surely come to stop you!" Zelda cried as she clung to Impa.

Ganondorf only laughed. "The Hero of Time has left this land!" he cackled. "There is no way he could even know of what's going on!"

Zelda scowled, though she knew he spoke the truth.

Ganondorf's face turned sour. "I will not ask again! Give me the Ocarina of Time before I take it by force!"

Suddenly, Zelda heard a familiar voice calling her name!

"_Zelda!"_

Zelda turned around and saw a boy in a green tunic and cap with a shield and sword strapped to his back rushing down a staircase.

"Link!"

Ganondorf looked in his direction too. _So, the boy has returned, eh? He may be just what I need to get the Ocarina of Time from the princess._

...

Link rushed down the staircase as fast as his legs would carry him. The rails were on fire, like much of the castle, but the stairs weren't.

"I'm coming, Zelda!" he cried.

But just before he reached the bottom of the stairs, a Stalfos jumped down and blocked his way.

"Not so fast, little boy," it said in its gruff, evil voice. The Stalfos drew a jagged sword and round shield.

"Get outta my way!" Link shouted and slashed at the Stalfos with the Gilded Sword, a sword he had acquired during his trials to save Termina.

Link fought bravely, but knew he had to get to Zelda. The Stalfos was just as determined to keep him from proceeding though. "I don't have time for this!" Link shouted angrily as he jumped behind the Stalfos, confusing it.

"Where did you go, you little rat?" the Stalfos demanded.

"Right here!" Link gave the Stalfos a good slash up its back. The Stalfos was destroyed with a cry of pain.

...

Ganondorf smirked and chuckled evilly, making Zelda and Impa turn back to face him. "Don't think that I will lose that easily!" Ganondorf's eyes locked onto Link and glowed violet for a split second.

...

Link resumed running down to Zelda's aid. "Zelda!" he cried as he descended the second set of stairs. But just before he reached the bottom, his body glowed violet for a split second and a searing pain tore through his body. Link fell to the ground with a cry of pain.

Link stood up and descended the stairs, glowering at Ganondorf. Ganondorf smirked at him. "Now I have the item I need!" Before Link could protest, Ganondorf reached over and grabbed Link, wrapping him arm around Link's upper arms.

"Link! No!" Zelda cried her face no longer angry and sure. Her expression was now full of worry and fear.

"Now what will you do, Princess?" Ganondorf smirked, not seeming to notice Link's struggling. "If you choose to give me the Ocarina, then you have chosen to give Hyrule to me. But if you choose otherwise, you will allow the boy you loved to be killed!" Ganondorf tightened his grip on Link when he said that.

Zelda tried not to look defeated, but she was clearly torn. What to do now? Ensure the safety of Hyrule or the Hero of Time, the boy Zelda loved with all her heart?

Link saw Zelda's expression and spoke up. "Zelda! Don't listen to anything he threatens to do!" Link's voice was strained.

"Silence boy!" Ganondorf bellowed. As soon as he finished, a dark matter materialized around the lower half of Link's face. It transformed into a black handkerchief, gagging him.

Ganondorf then moved his arm, but didn't release Link. Zelda and Impa could now see that Link was bound with a dark rope-like matter.

"Princess, what can we do?" Impa whispered. "If we give Ganondorf the Ocarina, then all of Hyrule will be consumed by evil. But if we don't, the Hero of Time will be murdered before our very eyes!"

"I know," Zelda whispered back. "But I can't think of anything we can do." Although Princess Zelda possessed the Triforce of Wisdom, she could not think of a single thing that would grant the safety of both Hyrule and Link.

"Well, Princess? What is your answer?" Ganondorf asked.

Zelda looked up with sorrow and confusion in her sapphire eyes. But not at Ganondorf, at Link. She wished she were the one in the grasp of Ganondorf. Link would have easily defeated him. But instead, Link was the one in Ganondorf's clutches and Zelda could do nothing. She felt helpless.

Link looked into Zelda's eyes. He couldn't stand to see the pain in them. He wanted nothing more than to go over to her and comfort her. But alas, he could do or say nothing while bound and gagged.

...

Sorry. I'm running out of ideas. Hope you enjoyed this and look forward to the next chapter! Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the story (yay)

The rest of the story (yay)!

...

Link then remembered something – Zelda didn't have the Ocarina of Time! He did! Zelda had given it to him just before he set off to search for Navi, his fairy friend. Desperation took over his eyes. He had to tell Zelda the truth, but the gag stopped him from making any noise.

Ganondorf pulled out a long dagger, the blade gleaming in the glare of the surrounding flames. "My patience is wearing out, Princess!" he cried and held the blade against Link's throat, alarming everyone. "Give me the Ocarina or your love will never again see the light of day!"

Zelda didn't know what to do. She could see that Link was trying to tell her something, but what it was, she didn't know. "A-all right," she said quietly and reached into her pocket. When she felt a solid object in there, she remembered that she had given the Ocarina to Link! She suddenly felt a wave of hope and relief wash over her, but didn't show it one bit. Impa looked shocked and horrified. Zelda kept her defeated expression and pulled out an ordinary blue ocarina.

Ganondorf smirked as Zelda handed him the ocarina. "Yes," he chuckled, dropping Link. As Link hit the ground, the ropes around his arms and the black handkerchief dissolved into the air.

Link wasn't sure what had just happened. Had Zelda given him a decoy, or Ganondorf? He looked at Zelda's face. There was anger and sorrow written in her expression. Link then noticed the ocarina in Ganondorf's hand. It looked almost identical to the Ocarina of Time, but it didn't have the mark of the Triforce on the mouthpiece. Link shared a secret smile with Zelda as he realized that that ocarina wasn't real.

Ganondorf smiled upon Zelda. "That's a good girl," he said. "Say goodbye to Hyrule as you know it, Princess! And you," he turned to Link. "Be sure you watch out for her and yourself. If I find this is fake, I will personally kill you both with my own two hands, do you hear me? Both of you!" With that, Ganondorf vanished.

A storm brewed just as Ganondorf left the castle balcony. All the flames inside the castle were doused immediately.

"Princess, what did you give him?" Impa asked. "Did you give him the real Ocarina or a decoy?" Impa sounded tense.

Zelda looked up at Impa. "I gave him a decoy," she answered. "Link has the real Ocarina of Time."

Now Impa looked worried. Link noticed.

"Don't worry Impa," he said calmly. "I will do whatever it takes to protect her from Ganondorf."

Impa smiled warmly at Link. "You are a very brave and noble lad," she said. "I trust your word."

"So do I." Zelda smiled lovingly at Link, making him blush. Zelda didn't realize that she was also blushing.

"Come!" Impa said. "Somehow I don't think it's safe up here!"

...

"Where will we go?" Link asked as the trio climbed down a set of vines.

"I will take you both to my home in Kakariko Village for tonight," Impa replied. "We will discuss what to do next in the morning."

About halfway down the vines, Zelda's foot suddenly slipped from under her. "Aahh!" she cried, panicked.

"Zelda!" Link cried. He was climbing next to her and didn't want her to fall. "Get on my back!"

"Are you sure?" Zelda asked. She didn't want her weight to send them both falling to their deaths.

"Yeah, just do it!" Link shouted over the roar of thunder.

Very carefully, Zelda inched closer to Link and extended one arm out to his shoulder. Being careful not to choke him, Zelda wrapped the other arm around Link's other shoulder. When both arms were around Link's shoulders, he began to climb down again.

...

By the time the trio reached Kakariko Village, the storm had ceased. They stood outside Impa's house. "We will stay here for tonight," Impa told them. "Are you two hungry?"

"Yes," Zelda replied. Link nodded in agreement.

"Then I will make something," Impa walked back into her house. Link and Zelda remained outside. They were silent for several moments.

"It's a...nice night," Link said, breaking the ice.

"Yes," Zelda agreed. Then she noticed Link's neck. "Are you okay Link?" There was a red mark across Link's neck that looked like it had been bleeding not too long ago. Zelda gently stroked it with two fingers. "Does that hurt?"

"No," Link replied. "It must have happened when Ganondorf pressed that dagger against my neck."

Zelda seemed upset that Ganondorf had actually hurt Link. "He will pay for that," she vowed.

Link said nothing. His mind was on something else. While he stood there blushing, he knew he had to tell Zelda the truth. He just wasn't sure how to say it. Would she laugh at him?

"Zelda..." he began. "I – there's something I have...there's something I have to tell you." The Triforce of Courage was failing him right now.

"Yes Link? What is it?" Zelda asked, backing up just a little. She was also blushing.

"W-well...ever since we met...I...I...I've been deeply in love with you!" There. He had said it. Now Zelda could laugh in his face all she wanted. He blushed even harder.

"You have?" Zelda didn't sound amused. She sounded...happy. "Link, the truth is...I love you too!"

Link, still blushing, looked into Zelda's ocean-blue eyes. There was nothing but love and honesty in them. Link and Zelda shared a loving smile. Zelda then took Link's face in her hands and the two shared a magical, gentle kiss in the moonlight.

When they parted, the loving smile never left their faces. "I love you, your royal highness," Link smiled. "I always will."

"I love you too, Hero of Time," Zelda replied in a warm voice. "I'll love you as long as the sun shines and the moon glows."

They gazed into each other's eyes, hoping for the moment to last forever.

...

That's it! Hope you enjoyed the story! Review please and be on the lookout for a possible sequel! Until then, see y'all!


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